PC Graphics: Where Can We Go From Here?
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Let's start by tracing the development of graphics in PC gaming over the past 30 years by using the easiest barometer available: screenshots. And where better to start than with one of the most popular games of all time, a game that started an entire franchise that continues to this day. I'm talking about the original Ultima, known variously as Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness, Ultima I, and even just Ultima. Originally released in 1980 for the venerable Apple II, it was so popular it was ported, recoded and re-released several times, the latest of which was in a collection published in 1998 for DOS. Ultima's legacy set the standard for every CRPG to follow, having more impact than even venerable franchises such as Final Fantasy. But what did computer graphics look like in 1980?
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That giant rat looks frightening, doesn't it? Well, maybe not to jaded tastes that have seen Oblivion, but it's not too bad, considering the computing power of an Apple II. According to Wikipedia, the Apple II+ had a 1 MHz processor, 48 KB RAM, a cassette drive (remember cassettes as storage media?) and an old school 5 1/4 inch disk drive. The cost? $1,200 in 1979-1980, which is roughly $3,400 after adjusting for inflation. Now, before my fellow hardware nuts start pointing out how processor cycles, RAM and storage media capacity are not meaningful when compared to the same stats today, let me say I know. I'm merely simplifying things to keep the argument simple and to point out very broad trends.
